Well... this is a little later than planned. Be happy it's out. xD Can't guarantee when the next one will come out though. I "failed" three of my classes, therefore, I must focus on my homework (by "fail," I mean I got a B; and I "fucked up" in my English class, aka: C). Yes, three of my teachers for NEXT YEAR have given me homework over break. Ass holes. I have to read the Bible for English! What the hell? I'm as religious as the chair I sit in, why must I read the Bible? Because I'm readin' Puritan literature? Dumb reason.

Oh, before I forget. The is something else I need to address. That is the possible misunderstanding about the ending of the last chapter. Just 'cause I can't write yaoi, doesn't mean I'm gonna write an IchiRuk. It's a rare occasion when I read one of those; why would I write one? If there is IchiRuk in this, it is one sided, and Rukia is the one feelin' it. Ichi holds no feelings towards her (in that way). Sorry for the misunderstandin'. Let's look at as great concern for a close friend.

Ah, for those of you who went to AX; how great was it?! I took over 150 pictures there! Got me a Gin/Kira pic. ;D For those who didn't go to AX, you seriously missed out; especially the GaiaOnline gathering. If you're curious, I'll tell ya about it in a PM.

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Chapter 11
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Urahara finished the bandaging of Ichigo's body. Over 90 percent of the boy's body was white, instead of the usual tan. He gave a last glance at the boy before leaving the orange haired hybrid to rest.

Rukia was finally composing herself by the time the blond shop owner walked back into the main room of Urahara Shoten. Her eyes and skin around it were red and a little puffy, due to all the crying. She hadn't seen Ichigo in half a decade, and he suddenly pops out of no where, once again on his death bed.

Nell was also very nervous. So was everyone else in the shop. Including Kon, Nell's "brothers," etc.

As Urahara sat down, he closed his fan and stuck it back in his shirt. His expression a mixture of grime and relief, an odd combination, an even weirder one for him.

"How is he?" Rukia asked, her voice still quivering slightly.

"Oh, that," Urahara seemed to perk up a little... typical. "He'll be fine. We both know Kurosaki-san has been in worse conditions than that! Have optimism, Rukia-chan!"

A vein appeared on Rukia's forehead, her temper being quickly reeled in. "Dammit, Urahara! How bad was he?!"

"Rukia-nee-san, calm down please. A dank atmosphere isn't good for that jerk," Kon responded, placing his hand on Rukia's clutched one.

That earned him a smack for the touching. It also was a sign. Rukia was calming down, and she was getting back to her old, too-cool-for-you-with-my-doodles-and-everything-else mode.

Kon rubbed his head, subduing the pain. A small smile graced his lips, he was happy he could help.

"You're right."

- - - - -

Aizen smirked in his chair, he was rewatching the fight he had with Ichigo. He had solidified what he thought he saw. There was definitely a hole in the hybrid's body; a hollow hole. But there was no mask. This peeked his curiosity even more.

'This just makes him even more interesting... I want him. Once I do that... he will be.'

A knock on the door brought Aizen out of his inner contemplation. "Come in."

"Aizen-sama," Ulquoirra bowed deeply when he entered, and crouched before his leader. "I am ready for any task you hold for me."

"That isn't necessary. Right now, we wait. Ichigo-kun needs his rest."

"Hai, Aizen-sama."

The brown haired arrancar leader's smirk grew wider and darker. His plans were unrolling quite nicely so far. He just hoped that "that" would be good enough to work.

- - - - -

Kuroji sat on one of the few poles that spotted the building infested realm of his king. His king nearby, unconscious. He was contemplating on whether taking over would be beneficial to him in the long run. Once Ichigo woke up, all Hell would break loose if he didn't have control over his body.

Pros... cons... pros... cons...

Pros, temporary control, slaking hunger, being free for a little.

Cons, merciless crushing, things akin to torture, him never seeing the light of day in any form.

Yeah, cons definitely held a better hand. So he continued to watch his vunerable king, healing the mental and emotional wounds. The hollow side knew that the shinigami side didn't care about his physical well being, as long as he felt like he did the right thing.

However, what his king was planning wasn't one of his best ideas; hollow's secret opinion solely. As long as they came out alive and fully intact in the end, he'd go with whatever was thrown at him... even if said things were rudely chucked at him most of the times...

A noise had his attention rounded onto his king. It sounded like a whimper. A moan. And it was caked in sadness.

He went over to his king, and sat next to him. A look of curiosity adorning his features. He watched Ichigo, all his focus was lodged into that activity.

"...no... 'kaa-san... Renji... Kuroji... no... stop... let me be... I didn't do anything!"

Each of Ichigo's words or phrases were separated by about a minute or two of silence, shifting, a moan or whimper here and there.

Ichigo started shivering after the "let me be" part of his unconscious chatter. He was reliving the death of his mother, killing Renji, the loss of Kuroji's memories, the live dissection, his recent defeat by Aizen. Everything he regretted swarmed in his head, going to fast to settle with just one.

Kuroji was at a loss for words. He couldn't tell what was wrong. Ichigo had always had an aura of strength and confidence. The one being emitted was one of fear and sadness. The orange haired boy's last statement made Kuroji jump, his hand landing on Ichigo's.

'What the hell. I'm already gonne git in trouble fer touchin' him.'

Kuroji shook Ichigo's hand, then his chest. He didn't want Ichigo in pain, but he didn't know why. Something in the back of his mind was telling him to take care of his king with everything that he was.

Ichigo's hand subconsciously smacked Kuroji's hand away. This proceeded a curl up.

'Fuck... he's terrified.'

"King..." Kuroji shook the orange haired boy harder this time. "King; wake up."

"Go... go... not really there... you..."

- - - - -

Rukia and Kon sat next to Ichigo's spirit body – Kon still occupying the physical body. After a few hours of sleeping, he had started to twitch, shake, whimper, everything they wouldn't expect him to do. Same words emitted as in his inner world.

Urahara was checking up on him from time to time, but couldn't do anything other than change the bandages. Ichigo's body wouldn't accept outside reiatsu.

- - - - -

"King! Wake up dammit!"

Both of Kuroji's hands were rocking the boy back and forth. He wasn't sure if that was a smart idea, but he needed Ichigo up. Awake. Strong and confident. Not this whimpering child that seemed to permeate the wall they stood on.

"King... king... grr... Ichigo!"

Ichigo's eyes seemed to snap open, his hand instantly snaring the white one's throat. He was hyper-ventilating, his eyes showed that he wasn't all there yet. When Kuroji tried to free himself, his grip tightened.

Once he calmed down, realization hit him. Kuroji was breathing in faint gasps, and Ichigo felt flesh under his clenched hand. He looked over, eyes widened instantly; he let go just as fast.

"Sorry Kuroji."

"No... no... jus' happy ya let go."

"Heh."

"Wha's wrong, King?"

"Nothing's wrong. Why?"

"You were practically cryin' in yer sleep. I got worried."

Ichigo's eyes seemed to harden a little. 'No. It's not the real him.'

"Why would you care?"

Kuroji's eyes widened in shock. Why was Ichigo so cold all of a sudden?

"Why?!"

". . ."

"Why would I care?! Because we share the same body! Because your damned sadness brought in these damned clouds that are threatenin' to rip apart a fuckin' river! I care what happens to you! To this body! Without you, there is no me! No you! Wouldn't that black haired chick be even more depresse' than she already is?!"

Ichigo looked down. He took what was being thrown at him. A crack appeared on the metaphorical walls and fortress he had created around himself. Kuroji sounded just like he used to. He couldn't take as much as he thought he could.

"Shut up. I don't need to hear that from you of all people. All you care about is your well being. If you could live without me, you'd've killed me by now. I hate you! Everything about you pisses me off!"

A shoe connected to Ichigo's head, sending his body flying a few meters. Simultaneously, Kuroji's shoe stomped - along with foot and body attached- into Ichigo's chest.

"You fuckin' prick! Ya can't look outsi' yer own damned black and white world in a box! I care abou' more than just me! Yer more hollow than I am!"

One more stomp, and Kuroji vanished. Gone into the deepest, darkest, loneliest part of Ichigo's mind. The orange haired boy just stared forward in shock, complete and utter shock.

Slowly, his form started dissolving. He had done something horrible, and couldn't face it right now. Ichigo returned to the conscious side of things.

- - - - -

A small moan came from the waking orange haired hybrid as his eyes opened. He could tell where he was, and who was next to him. Ichigo ignored them, his mind swaying between his options with both Kuroji and Aizen.

"Ichigo...?"

He looked up, finally acknowledging the presenses in the room. His expression showed minor signs of stress and pain; a torrent of emotions swarmed inside of him, despite his appearance.

"Rukia. Kon, good to see you haven't gotten locked up while I was gone."

A solid punch made contact with his shoulder, followed by a hiss of pain.

"You're gone for over a half a decade, and that's all you say to us?!" Kon yelled.

Ichigo looked down, his mind repeating what Kuroji said to him earlier. Yer more hollow than I am! He brought his knees up, wrapped his arms around them, and dug his nails into his legs. Everything was unraveling on him... it was getting to him.

"Shut up."

"No, you listen! We've been worried sick about you for years! Then you literally fall from the sky, bleeding like the spring floods! Then you insult me as soon as you wake up! What the Hell have you been doing these past years?! Losing what little social skills you had?! Destroying all the memories you made here?! You're a fucking prick, Ichigo!"

A mixture of shock, sadness and loathing crawled into his expression. Ichigo slowly pushed himself up to a standing position. His injuries screaming at him to lay back down. He shot a death glare at Kon before vanishing by use of shunpo.

This time, a punch landed exactly where Kon had punched Ichigo. Only this time, it was Rukia causing the pain to Kon.

"Rukia?! Why are you siding with him?!"

"Because I'm his friend, whether he acknowledges that or not!"

She stomped out of the room, and then outside. Rukia had past the concerned looks of everyone else, and scanned for his reiatsu. A task that was near impossible.

After five minutes of standing there, searching, a small flicker caught her attention. It was a small clip of Ichigo's reiatsu. She shunpo'd to it.

- - - - -

Ichigo landed on a tree in a park on the other side of Karakura. His pain racked body couldn't go any farther in one step. The orange haired hybrid sat, with his back against the trunk and closed his eyes.

'Kuroji...'

Nothing.

'C'mon... Kuroji...'

No response.

'I know you can hear me. Please... come out for a second.'

Silence.

'Please.'

'Why?'

'I'm sorry... please...'

'Why?'

'Why what? I'm trying to apologize!' His tone came off harder than planned, and Ichigo curled into himself a little more.

'Why would I accept that? You jus' feel guilty. You'll deny i' as soon as ya get the chance.'

"That's not true!" Ichigo's voice rang unintentionally out loud.

'Really now? Tha' hole in yer gut startin' ta fill with the shit you pu' in it?'

'Please... I'm sorry,' Ichigo's tone started to crack. 'Please.'

Void.

"Please..."

Ichigo's reiatsu flickered a little from his control, and he was pulled into his inner world.

- - - - -

Rukia landed near Ichigo on the same branch. His eyes held almost no light, he was staring at the building in front of him, and right through Rukia.

She shook him a little. "Hey, Ichigo. Snap out of it. Wake up."

- - - - -

"Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me what happened."

Ichigo looked at his hollow skeptically. "When?"

"You know damn well when! I've been asking for years. I dun thin' yer tha' thick."

"Oh..." Ichigo downcast his eyes. "That."

"Yeah. Why won't you tell me?"

"Because..."

"Yer afraid."

"Huh?!"

"Yer afraid of yer past comin' an' bitin' ya in the ass."

"That's not it!"

"Then what is it? Why can't you tell me the only memories you have and I don'. The only memories you hide from me?"

"It can't help you. It'll hurt me."

"Tha's pretty damned vague."

"Sorry."

"Tell me. I can handle it."

"I'm sure you could."

"Wha's tha' supposed to mean?"

"I can't."

"Now ya won' even answer any question I give ya!" Kuroji yelled, and turned to leave.

"That was the answer. 'I can't.'"

"Can' what? Handle it? You?"

"Yeah. It's me. Not you who can't handle it."

"Yer actin' like yer mom just died again."

"In a way... she did."

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Hahaha! Chapter 11 is done! Edited quickly, so I could get this out before my sites are sealed shut for a while. Some parts feel rushed, but whatever. I may be able to comment occasionally, but I won't be able to log in.

My next few weeks are going to revolve around something every student hates to their core: homework! Biology, History and English homework. God I can't wait 'til my senior year of HS! I get to drop to CP English instead of this crap AP coarse. xD

Then there's graduation! My freedom is then secured! Yaoi party for one person at my pad. And that one person is me. ;D

Remember: I don't know when I can get chapter 12 out. Please be patient.

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REVIEW PEOPLE, IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF! xD